Tennessee looks for smoother win vs. UNC-Wilmington

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Tennessee needs to play a more
fundamental brand of basketball if it plans on playing at
Madison Square Garden next week.

Coach Bruce Pearl hopes the 24th-ranked Volunteers can reduce
turnovers, limit mistakes and stay out of foul trouble Tuesday
when they meet North Carolina-Wilmington in the second round of
the NIT Season Tip-Off.

After opening the season with Friday's win victory over Middle
Tennessee, the Volunteers had trouble putting away Fordham
before holding on for a 78-71 victory on Monday.

Chris Lofton made 9-of-16 shots to score 30 points for
Tennessee, which committed 26 turnovers and 26 fouls. Three
players finished with four fouls each and the Volunteers allowed
the Rams to shot 59 percent (13-of-22) from the floor in the
second half.

UNC-Wilmington posted its first victory in three tournament
appearances by capturing its season opener with Monday's an
88-83 triumph over Belmont.

Vladimir Kuljanin scored a career-high 20 points, including 16
in the second half, and Montez Downey added 17 to enable Benny
Moss to win his debut as Seahawks coach.

Tennessee won the only other meeting against UNC-Wilmington, an
85-57 triumph on December 21, 1985. The Seahawks have lost
eight of 10 games against Southeastern Conference teams.